Richard Rost is a Microsoft MVP and President/CEO of Computer Learning Zone. He creates video tutorials to teach you how to use your computer, specializing in Microsoft Access.
Why Tiller Was Not a Good Fit for My Microsoft Access Workflow
Richard Rost shares his eight-month experience trying to use Tiller as a bridge between financial accounts, Excel, and a Microsoft Access database. The goal was simple: reduce the daily time spent checking balances and recent transactions across multiple accounts.
Instead, the workflow required repeated logins, account reconnections, authentication prompts, unreliable add-in behavior, and too many stale balances. Importing Excel data into Access was never the problem. The real issue was getting consistently fresh data into the spreadsheet without manual intervention.
This is a practical look at the difference between automation that sounds convenient and automation that actually saves time. Richard also explains why a supported API would better fit an Access-based workflow, and why he ultimately returned to gathering data directly from the financial sites he already checks.
22 Oct 2026
When Security Measures Cost You Customers
What happens when fraud prevention is so strict that legitimate customers cannot complete a purchase? Richard shares his frustrating attempt to buy concert tickets, complete with valid credit cards, matching billing details, repeated authorization holds, and front-row seats that disappeared while the checkout system rejected him.
The bigger lesson applies far beyond ticket websites. Overly aggressive validation, endless confirmations, and rigid permissions can make software feel secure while driving away the people it is supposed to serve.
Good security should match the actual risk, provide clear feedback, and give legitimate users a practical way to recover from ordinary mistakes. A system that blocks everything may be safe, but it is not very useful.
21 Oct 2026
Getting Started with the Microsoft Access Expression Builder
The Expression Builder can look intimidating at first, especially when Access presents a long list of functions, fields, operators, and database objects. This episode explains what an expression is, what the Builder is designed to do, and when it is helpful to use instead of typing everything by hand.
Learn how expressions can calculate values such as an order line total, and how the Builder can help locate the correct name and syntax when referencing a control on an open form. It is especially useful when you know what result you need but cannot remember the exact function, form name, or control name.
Richard also covers common expression basics, including fields, operators, functions, brackets, quotes, and parentheses. The main takeaway is simple: start with small expressions you can verify, check the results carefully, and use the Builder as a guide while the syntax becomes familiar.
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